diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index ae4bbc1..2152708 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -12,3 +12,9 @@ DATABASE_URL=postgres://codesce:changeme@database:5432/codesce?sslmode=disable
 # Frontend
 FRONTEND_PORT=3000
 VITE_API_URL=http://localhost:6767
+
+# Redis
+REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379
+WORKER_COUNT=4
+EXECUTION_TIMEOUT=10
+SANDBOX_MEMORY_LIMIT=256
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 7a2bbd3..dfd0c51 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -23,4 +23,4 @@ COPY --from=build /bin/server /bin/server
 
 EXPOSE 6767
 
-CMD ["/bin/server"]
+CMD ["/bin/server"]
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/Dockerfile.executor b/Dockerfile.executor
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cb63801
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Dockerfile.executor
@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+# typing everythig up manually: high cortisol
+# COPY AND PASTE FROM OTHER FILES: low cortisol
+
+# executor dockerfile (go) thinking monkey....
+
+# --- Build stage ---
+
+# go image with compiler, names it build
+FROM golang:1.25-alpine AS build
+
+# set working directory inside container
+WORKDIR /app
+
+# copy two dependency files for main.go into ./ inside the container aka /app
+COPY cmd/runner/go.mod cmd/runner/go.sum ./
+RUN go mod download
+
+# copy source code (left) into image (right) 
+COPY cmd/runner/ .
+
+# compiles code in /app into service called runner
+RUN go build -o runner .
+
+# --- Production stage ---
+FROM alpine:3.20 AS production
+
+WORKDIR /app
+
+COPY --from=build /app/runner /app/runner
+
+CMD ["/app/runner"]
diff --git a/docker-compose.dev.yml b/docker-compose.dev.yml
index a308fb0..47da342 100644
--- a/docker-compose.dev.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.dev.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,26 @@ services:
   database:
     ports:
       - "${DB_PORT:-5432}:5432"
-
+  redis:
+    ports:
+      - "6379:6379"
+  executor:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile.executor
+    environment:
+      REDIS_URL: ${REDIS_URL}
+      DATABASE_URL: postgres://${POSTGRES_USER}:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}@database:5432/${POSTGRES_DB}?sslmode=disable
+      WORKER_COUNT: ${WORKER_COUNT}
+      EXECUTION_TIMEOUT: ${EXECUTION_TIMEOUT}
+      SANDBOX_MEMORY_LIMIT: ${SANDBOX_MEMORY_LIMIT}
+    volumes:
+      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
+    depends_on:
+      redis:
+        condition: service_healthy
+      database:
+        condition: service_healthy
   backend:
     build:
       context: .
@@ -11,6 +30,7 @@ services:
       GIN_MODE: debug
       PORT: ${BACKEND_PORT:-6767}
       DATABASE_URL: postgres://${POSTGRES_USER}:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}@database:5432/${POSTGRES_DB}?sslmode=disable
+      REDIS_URL: ${REDIS_URL}
     volumes:
       - .:/app
       - go-mod-cache:/go/pkg/mod
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 4b8d47c..985dbb7 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,34 @@
 services:
+# each service is a container
+  redis:
+    image: redis:7-alpine
+    ports:
+      - "6379:6379"
+    # will return pong if up
+    healthcheck: 
+      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "redis-cli", "ping"]
+      interval: 5s
+      timeout: 5s
+      retries: 5
+  executor:
+    build:
+      context: .
+      dockerfile: Dockerfile.executor
+    environment:
+      REDIS_URL: ${REDIS_URL}
+      DATABASE_URL: postgres://${POSTGRES_USER}:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}@database:5432/${POSTGRES_DB}?sslmode=disable
+      WORKER_COUNT: ${WORKER_COUNT}
+      EXECUTION_TIMEOUT: ${EXECUTION_TIMEOUT}
+      SANDBOX_MEMORY_LIMIT: ${SANDBOX_MEMORY_LIMIT}
+    # executor allows us to run other containers
+    # left side is file from host, right side is file inside container
+    volumes:
+      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
+    depends_on:
+      redis:
+        condition: service_healthy
+      database:
+        condition: service_healthy
   database:
     image: postgres:16-alpine
     container_name: codesce-db
@@ -25,6 +55,7 @@ services:
       DATABASE_URL: postgres://${POSTGRES_USER}:${POSTGRES_PASSWORD}@database:5432/${POSTGRES_DB}?sslmode=disable
       GIN_MODE: ${GIN_MODE:-release}
       PORT: ${BACKEND_PORT:-6767}
+      REDIS_URL: ${REDIS_URL}
     ports:
       - "${BACKEND_PORT:-6767}:6767"
     depends_on:
diff --git a/docker/Dockerfile.python b/docker/Dockerfile.python
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..560fcb9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docker/Dockerfile.python
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+FROM python3.12-slim
\ No newline at end of file